Mega Man X

Also known as: Rockman X (JP)Developer:
CapcomPublishers: Capcom (JP/US),
Nintendo (EU/AU)Platform:
SNESReleased in JP: December 17, 1993Released in US: January 1994Released in EU: May 1994

This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused enemies. This game has unused graphics. This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences. This game has revisional differences. This game has anti-piracy features.

Mega Man X is the first game in the series of the same name. That's why it's called the Mega Man X series. Hrm.

Map Editor Mode

A map editor can be enabled in this game with the following PAR codes: 009E9122009E923D009E9383009E9404
Pressing Start will then bring up the map editor.

Instructions:

Controller 1

D-pad: Move screen.

A: Toggle layers.

B + D-pad: Increase cursor speed.

Y: Toggles index values / collision data for tiles.

L + R + X: Exit map editor.

Controller 2

D-pad: Move tile cursor.

A: Copy selected tile.

B + D-pad: Increase tile cursor speed.

Y: Place tile.

L, R: Cycle through tiles.

(Source: GoldS, JLukas (controls + code source))

Unused Objects + Object Functions

Anglerge

Use the PAR code 7E0E7381 before fighting the first Anglerge

There is a third kind of Anglerge boss in the game. The subID for this Anglerge is 81, while the subIDs for the two Anglerges in the final game are 80 and 82. This Anglerge only blows air at X. Since the first Anglerge sucks air in, and the second Anglerge both sucks air in and blows air out, this was probably meant to go in between the two.

The palette is incorrect: the game pulls the palette information from a place that's clearly not supposed to be used.

(Source: GoldS)

Hoganmer

Use the PAR code 849E4180 (version 1.0) or 849E4680 (version 1.1), then shoot off Hoganmer's shield.

This enemy is coded to jump when its shield is destroyed. The Hoganmer will jump a short distance (32 pixels?) towards X, then when X is in range, it will attack. Since it's impossible to destroy that shield in the final version, this behavior is never triggered.

A broken shield can be found with the rest of Hoganmer's graphics.

(Source: GoldS)

Jellyfish

Use the PAR codes 7E0E7210 + 7E0E7301 at the beginning of Launch Octopus' stage to see this enemy in action.

This enemy doesn't appear at all in the game, and its behavior is completely unique. It has the same ID as the Sine Faller enemy, but has a subID of 1. The enemy falls down from the ceiling and swoops back and forth. When it collides with the ground, it drills into it, leaving only a small part of its sprite visible above ground. It only takes 1 hit to kill. The enemy graphics are loaded at the start of Launch Octopus' stage; they're replaced after the first Anglerge boss is destroyed.

(Source: GoldS)

Tombot Generator

Use the PAR code 7E0E723E to generate this object

This unused object spawns Tombots! It starts out closed, then the hatch opens and 2 Tombots fly out. The direction the Tombots are spawned depends on this object's subID. This object can only be damaged when the hatch is open; shots will bounce off when it is closed. When it is destroyed, it starts smoking from the bottom for a bit, then stops.

The graphics are still in the ROM, compressed, though they're never loaded anywhere.

(Source: GoldS)

Unused Zero Palettes

Zero has two palettes in the ROM that aren't used in-game at all. Presumably they are for some kind of charging effect. In the final game, his head crystal glows to indicate charging.

These palettes are located at 2C2E0-2C31F in the ROM.

(Source: GoldS)

Unused Item Drop

Enemies normally may drop one of five items when killed: small HP, big HP, small ammo, big ammo, or a 1-up. The game code, however, supports enemies dropping sub-tanks. In the final game, sub-tanks are collectable secret items sitting on the ground, rather than dropped from enemies.

To see this behavior, use the following PAR codes and kill an enemy:

Version 1.0

Version 1.1

84A390A984A39106

84A395A984A39606

The graphics of the item will be corrupted unless you happen to be near one of the normal sub-tank secrets, but it will count as a sub-tank when acquired.

Unused Audio

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This is sound effect #B0. This seems to be a test of the game's audio system, with tones at different levels and volumes. The PAR code 7EFFC9B0 will allow this sound to be played in the sound test.

(Source: GoldS)

Unused Boss Entrance Room

Directly above Launch Octopus' boss entrance room is a duplicate entrance. This cannot be seen in the normal game as there is no vertical scrolling at this point.

(Source: GoldS)

Unused Text

Sample Text

These are unused in the game. The text looks like it's left over from a gaming expo copy.

(Source: GoldS)

Congratulations

A message of unknown purpose.

(Source: GoldS)

Continue/End

This menu actually uses four different text IDs (one for the continue / end text, one for the top and bottom border, and two for the left and right borders). It could be a debug menu (something similar appears in Super Metroid), or a game over menu. Similar menus pop up in the NES Mega Man games.

These tiles are hidden with the rest of the game's graphics, but are never loaded. The border and GAME OVER letters might have been used for this screen, but they might also have been imported from an entirely different game.

There's some tile mapping for the GAME OVER text starting at 0x03163A

(Source: GoldS)

Debug Text

This on the other hand is obvious—it's text for an object viewer. Similar object viewers also appear in Mega Man 6 and Mega Man 7. Unfortunately, it seems to have been removed from all versions of the game. There is no routine that brings this text up.

(Source: GoldS)

Regional Differences

Intro

Japan

International

X's voice generation device is made by MOKUOO Inc. in the Japanese version and HAYATOM Inc. (a portamentau of Hayato, a Japanese name, and the word atom) in the international versions.

Japan

International

The X-Buster is a Rock Buster Mark17 in the Japanese version. In the international versions, it's a Mega Buster Mark17.

The "WARNING MESSAGE" has the text in Japanese scroll across the bottom of the screen.

Title Screen

Japan

International

Besides the usual title change, the international title logo was redesigned. This design was carried over until Mega Man X3.

Stage Select

Japan

International

The Rockman X-Symbol on the Stage Select Screen was obviously updated as well.

Name Changes

All the Mavericks with the exception of Boomer Kuwanger, received different names outside Japan:

Japan

International

Icy Penguigo

Chill Penguin

Spark Mandriller

Spark Mandrill

Armor Armarge

Armored Armadillo

Launcher Octopuld

Launch Octopus

Sting Chameleao

Sting Chameleon

Storm Eagleed

Storm Eagle

Burnin' Noumander

Flame Mammoth

Also, the Boba Fett look-alike boss character known as Vava (ヴァヴァ) in Japan was renamed Vile.

Other Changes

Dialogue boxes length in the North American and European versions were expanded from the Japanese's 64 pixels to 88 pixels to fit in more text.

The European version's epilogue text is formatted differently than in other versions due to PAL timing differences.

Revision Changes

Bug Fixes

Bug

Japaneseversion

North Americanversion

Europeanversion

1.0

1.1

1.0

1.1

The powered up Shotgun Ice platform does not shatter if it's used to kill a boss. This can lead to a bug when fighting Storm Eagle where the player can get credit for defeating him after dying.

Present

Fixed

Fixed

Fixed

Fixed

If Sigma and X are killed at the same time, the boss is defeated, but the player does not regain control and can't advance the cutscene dialogue.

Present

Fixed

Present

Fixed

Fixed

Several glitchy passwords can start out X with either 0 life or max life and all weapons / Sub-Tanks depending on if the game demo was accessed or not.

Present

Present

Present

Present

Fixed

X can walk on the ceiling in the beginning of Flame Mammoth's room by hopping on the Utuboros heads and climbing up the tube. Walking right and climbing up an invisible wall leads to the central room with the palette and enemy graphics incorrectly loaded, as well as an incorrect lower Y boundary.

Copy Protection

To do:Combine with devin's info, including the alternate conditions when the game detects that most of the copy protection routines have been tampered with.

At various points, the game tries to detect whether it's running on a copier. Bad things happen if it decides that it is. Each of these is a separate check, so any or all of these may be enabled depending on the specific tests you fail.

You may lose all your upgrades (including sub-tanks) upon starting a stage.

The 128th time you take damage, the game will start adding random input to yours, and your charged X-Buster shots will be locked in place.

You may be teleported to the beginning of the level when you pick up a power-up or go through the boss door.

You may have to repeat the introductory stage when an enemy drops an extra life.

After 128 explosions, enemies that repel bullets may kill you when they do. Power-ups will quickly vanish, and shooting while dashing will cause you to have to repeat the introductory stage.

After your 128th jump, the next 127 jumps you make may be small hops instead. You will also take damage while climbing walls and will be unable to use the Ride Armor. Firing shots will teleport you back to the start of the stage.